The Georgian authorities have constructed a “sophisticated architecture of repression” in a remarkably short period of time, says a new report published by Amnesty International.
The report, titled “Georgia: Anatomy of Repression: 500 Days of Protest, Crackdown and Resilience,” argues that Georgia is experiencing its most serious erosion of human rights and civic space in recent years as the ruling party increasingly relies on authoritarian practices to maintain power amid growing public discontent.
Amnesty International claims that the crackdown is driven by a coordinated system that combines disinformation campaigns, restrictive legislation, abusive policing, and judicial processes that reinforce one another.
“What took many years to develop in other contexts has been assembled in Georgia with striking speed,” the report states, arguing that smear campaigns have been used to portray critics as enemies, laws have been employed to criminalize dissent, police actions have made protests physically dangerous, and courts have legitimized repression while fostering impunity.
The organization says that since the beginning of Georgia’s continuous protest movement more than two years ago, thousands of people have been arbitrarily detained and fined, hundreds have been subjected to torture or other forms of ill-treatment, and more than 150 individuals have been imprisoned following what it describes as unfair and politically motivated proceedings.
Despite this, Amnesty notes that protesters have continued demonstrations for more than 500 days, demanding the protection of rights, dignity and democratic freedoms.
The report describes a significant human cost associated with the crackdown. According to Amnesty, thousands of protesters have experienced arrest, hundreds have allegedly been beaten, humiliated in detention or subjected to torture and ill-treatment, while many others have faced severe financial penalties. The organization claims that some individuals have been fined or detained for standing on roadways or sidewalks, wearing face coverings, criticizing officials or refusing to leave public spaces.
Amnesty International also expresses concern over what it describes as a shrinking civic space. The report states that human rights defenders and civil society organizations assisting victims of abuse have themselves become targets of investigations, financial restrictions, threats and administrative pressure. Independent media outlets and journalists, the organization says, have likewise faced harassment, prosecutions and funding challenges.
The report argues that since spring 2024, and particularly following the mass protests that began on November 28, 2024, authorities have used state institutions to discourage and punish dissent. It alleges that civil society organizations, independent media, opposition figures and protesters have frequently been portrayed as “foreign agents,” “extremists” or threats to national security, narratives that Amnesty says have often been followed by punitive measures.
The human rights organization also criticizes a series of legislative amendments adopted in recent years, arguing that laws introduced under the banners of transparency, sovereignty, public order and family values have imposed excessive restrictions on freedom of association, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Report says law enforcement agencies have been granted expanded powers and have repeatedly used unlawful force against largely peaceful demonstrators, including arbitrary arrests and physical violence. Amnesty further alleges that hundreds of detainees have been subjected to torture or other forms of ill-treatment and argues that the lack of accountability for such abuses has contributed to a broader climate of impunity.
The report is also highly critical of Georgia’s judiciary, claiming that courts have increasingly been used to legitimize restrictions on protest activity. Amnesty says thousands of individuals have faced severe penalties, including substantial fines and custodial sanctions, while more than 150 protesters, activists and government critics have been imprisoned following proceedings marked by serious fair trial concerns.
“This is not a chain of isolated abuses but rather a system of authoritarian practices intended to entrench power,” the report states, arguing that while the formal appearance of the rule of law remains in place, its substance has been significantly weakened.
Amnesty International calls on the Georgian authorities to immediately reverse course, end the misuse of laws and state institutions against critics, ensure accountability for alleged abuses, provide justice for individuals imprisoned following unfair proceedings and guarantee reparations for victims.
The organization also urged the international community to recognize what it describes as a deliberate system of repression and to respond with urgency.
